exhibitions
July 23 - August 16
Open House Saturday, July 26th, 4 - 6 pm
Pour your finest Tuscan red – let it breathe. Savor the depth.
Then, with that refined palate, join us at the Art Cellar Gallery for Tony Griffin & Ben Long — the third installment of our 2025 Exhibition Series, rooted in legacy and craft.
At just 12, Tony Griffin relocated to Florence, Italy, where he began a lifelong artistic alliance with his brother-in-law, Benjamin F. Long IV. Their story, born in North Carolina and nurtured amidst the atelier’s of Italy, is one of profound mentorship and shared vision.
Ben Long, shaped by a lineage of creatives in Statesville and formally trained in Fresco under Pietro Annigoni, brought not only discipline but an international perspective to Tony.
This exhibition is a rare chance to see beyond the canvas of two storied North Carolina artists.
Get a glimpse into Ben’s meticulous preparatory studies — rich with emotion, memory, and color. Find inspiration in Tony’s Florentine works, layered with architectural resonance and pastoral echoes of an Italian countryside rediscovered.
Have a dialogue on paper with portraits and figurative works that reveal both artists’ enduring devotion to observation and drawing, rooted in classical tradition yet vibrantly alive
This winter, each returned to Florence — not as apprentices, but as seasoned masters. Tony wandered amidst crumbling portals of timeworn stone, letting whispers of historical textures awaken his vision. Ben retraced decades-old footsteps — bringing back intimate memories.
This exhibition is more than a showcase — it’s a tasting room for the layered nuances of time, place, and shared devotion. As North Carolina’s fine art scene holds these two as foundational figures, the works shown offer fresh insight into why their contributions remain vital and resonant.
We invite you to sip, reflect, and immerse yourself in this exceptional convergence of friendship, tradition, and renewal.
Exhibition
July 23 - August 16
Saturday, July 26, 4 - 6pm
open house